EVALUATION OF SOME FUNGI AND BACTERIA FOR POTENTIAL CONTROL OF SAFFLOWER RUST

Some fungal and bacterial isolates applied as soil and seed treatments in greenhouse trials gave a good protection against Puccinia carthami Cda. on safflower, significantly reducing the infection from rust-infested seeds. Trichoderma viride and T. harzianum added alone and in combination as air-dried inoculum to the soil were the most effective fungal isolates. However T. viride at two higher rates reduced the rate of emergence of safflower seedlings. Among bacteria, Bacillus subtilis, B. cereus, isolates of Pseudomonas fluorescens and B. thuringiensis reduced rust infection when added both as soil drench and as seed treatment. Good results in the biocontrol of P. carthami were also obtained with some combination antagonist treatments such as T. viride + B. cereus, T. viride + P. fluorescens (I6), T. viride + T. harzianum + B. cereus and T. viride + T. harzianum + P. fluorescens (I6). Fungal isolates added as soil treatment increased seedling length, whereas no similar effects were observed when these isolates were applied as seed treatment.